Spreader cap for adhesive containers



Dec. 8, 1936- E. NEALAND 2,063,617

SPREADER CAP FOR ADHESIVE CONTAINERS Filed NOV. 18, 1935 191M VENTOR.

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 18, 1935 Serial-No. 50,254

3 Claims.

The invention relates to spreader caps for adhesive containers, especially containers for muci lage.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a normally sealed spreader cap but one in which the seal is readily broken at any time as the spreader is used, permitting escape of the adhesive content, or mucilage, to be spread;v and which permitted escape of the mucilage is so free .as will enable an unbroken film of mucilage to be applied to the object, orsurfa'ce, actedupon as the spreader is drawn over it, but without such operation as will permit any of the .mucilage remaining unspread.

The invention can best be seen and understood 5 by reference to the drawing, in which- Fig. 1 shows in side elevation a'bottle fitted with the improved spreadercap.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections of the spreader cap.

Fig. 5 is a section of the spreader cap, and part of the bottle, showing the application and changed form of the cap when in use to allow the content of the bottle to escape.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a detail of construction later to be referred to; and v Fig. 7 shows in side elevation a slightly modified structure of the spreader cap.

The spreader cap, made of rubber, or equivalent elastic material, comprises a body I, and tip 2 in extension from the body and bendable thereon. The bottom sectional part 3 of the body I is made in form suitable to fasten onto, and grip, the top flanged end 4 of a bottle 5, substantially as shown in Fig. 5.

Above its sectional part 3, and above the top end of the bottle when the cap is in place, the body of the cap has the general form of the frustum of a cone. Its sides 6, 6 are rounding. 40 Its back I is substantially straight. Its front 8 is shaped to provide a flat spreading surface 9 having abrupt inward inclination in the direction of the back. The sides 6, 6 and back 1 are made relatively thick so as to be substantially inflexi- 45 ble, preventing collapse of the cap when in use, and forming a stationary base on which the tip may turn. The front portion 8 of the body having the spreading surface 9 is, also, made relatively thick in its lower portion, but gradually 5O lessening in thickness towards its upper end for purpose later to be referred to.

The tip 2 of the cap is integral with the body I. The tip is made, preferably, of about the thickness of the back I of the body from which 55 it upwardly extends. The width of the tip is substantially that of the top end of the body, and is provided with parallel sides 10-, 10, into which the sides 6,6 of the body are merged. The back surface of the tip is substantially flushwith the back surface of the body in continuation thereof. The 5" front of the tip presents a spreading surface ll conjoint with the spreading surface 9 on the bodyand' having normally obtuse angular relation theretojbut becoming substantially flush therewith, when'the tip is bent back as shown in Fig. 5.

The top of thetip presents as'quare edge.

As will be observed, the purpose is to obtain a spreader cap the body of which is non-collapsible, but which body is provided with a flexible tip, or head, care being taken that the tip may be flexed '5 and the spreading-surface' l I'therecf brought' into alignment with the spreading" surface 9 of the bodywithcut material changein the 'form of the chamber l2 within the-body. I

A slit I3 is made within the spreading surface 20 9 of the body at a point just below the tip and top end of the chamber I2 of the body. ,This slit is one normal to the axis of the cap. The slit is centrallydisposed and is a relatively short slit, the ends of the slit being well removed from the sides of the spreading surface 9 within which the slit is made. The slit [3 forms the mouth through which the contents of the bottle is emitted on inverting the bottle, and opening the slit. The slit is opened by inverting the bottle and bringing 3 the tip of the capinto contact with the object, or surface, to be acted upon, and then bending the tip back until its spreading surface I l is flush with the spreading surface 9 of the body. As the tip is turned back the slit will be opened with a relatively large opening as shown in Fig. 6, and opened without changing the shape of the chamber l2 within the body so that the liquid content contained within the chamber will freely pass out through the open slit, or mouth, onto the object 40 acted upon, the spreading surfaces of the body and tip then combining to spread the material.

The slit is enabled to be opened with a relatively large opening for the reason that as the tip is turned back it will turn on the back I of 5 the body, which remains substantially inflexible, and the tendency will be to lift the upper lip M of the slit on a relatively wide arc. The rubber at the point of the slit is made relatively thin so that'as the upper lip of the slit is raised the rubber will readily stretch, permitting. the upper lip I4 drawing away from the lower lip l5. During this operation the lower lip I5 of the slit will not follow the upper lip owing to the gradually increased thickness of the rubber below the lower lip. While there is thus obtained a relatively free delivery of mucilage through the open slit it is a delivery well removed from the sides of the spreading surface within which the slit is contained, so that while the spreading of the mucilage will extend to the sides of the spreading surface it will not extend beyond said surface to make" ridges on the object, but will be spread flat at all points.

In Fig. '7 a slightly modified structure is shown in that the tip is so positioned that its spreading surface I I lies normally substantially flush with the spreading surface 9 of the body, the

general operation of the cap remaining the same as before. While the form first described is preferred this modified structure has some advantage in that the cap may be used as a spreader without opening the slit or mouth, and little mucilage need be left in the cap after it has been used.

1 -I claim:

I 1 A spreader cap for adhesive containers applicable to the open end of said containers and comprising a substantially inflexible chambered body, and a tip in extension from said body and bendable: thereon, said body and tip having conjoint spreading surfaces, said body having a slit in it,in that portion of the body having its spreading surface, said slit being centrally arranged With extension normal to the axis of the cap, and located adjacent the base portion of the tip below the top of the chamber in said body, said portion of the cap within which the slit is contained being relatively thin whereby the slit may be opened by raising its upperlip through stretching of the material adjacent said slit on bending'said tip, the portion of said body below said islit being sufficiently inflexible to maintain the lower lip of said slit when the slit is opened as aforesaid.

2. A spreader cap for adhesive containers applicable to the open end of said containers and comprising a substantially inflexible chambered body, a tip in top extension from the back of said body and backwardly bendable thereon, said body and tip having conjoint spreading surfaces, said body having a slit in it in that portion of the body having its spreading surface, said slit being centrally arranged with extension normal to the axis of the cap, and located adjacent the base portion of the tip below the top of the chamber in said body, said portion of the cap within which the slit is contained being relatively thin whereby the slit may be opened by raising its upper lip through stretching of the material adjacent said slit on bending said tip, the portion of said body below said slit being suificiently inflexible to maintain the lower lip of said slit when the slit is opened as aforesaid.

3. A spreader cap for adhesive containers applicable to the open end of said containers and comprising a substantially inflexible chambered body, a tip in top extension from the back of said body and backwardly bendable thereon, said body and tip having conjoint spreading surfaces, said body having a slit in it in that portion of the body having its spreading surface, said slit being centrally arranged with extension normal to the axis of the cap, and located adjacent the base portion of the tip below the top of the chamber in said body, said portion of the cap within which the slit is contained being rela-- tively thin whereby the slit may be opened by raising its upper lip through stretching of the material adjacent said slit on bending said tip, the portion of said body below said slit gradually decreasing in thickness towards the lower lip of the slit.

' GEORGE E. NEALAND. 

